Introduction. Introduction. Player Safety. Player Safety 1/21/2019

Transcription

1 Introduction Pre-Game Agronomic Field Safety Assessment for Sports Fields: Future Implications for Risk Assessment Dr. Kristina S. Walker Associate Professor of Agronomy University of Minnesota Crookston One of the most difficult turfgrass areas to manage is sports fields due to the intense traffic they receive by players on a regular basis. Sports played on turfgrass athletic fields can easily result in injury to players, and there have been many cases where these injuries could be blamed on turf field conditions. Due to high expectations regarding player safety by players and coaches, field safety and maintenance checklists need to be developed specifically for sports turf fields that ascertain agronomic properties of the turf. Currently, checklists consist mainly of facility-based questions regarding goals/goal posts, field markings, out of bound or transition areas, fencing, lighting, and rarely address turfgrass field conditions. Introduction STMA: Football/Soccer Field Safety & Maintenance Checklist Player Safety Player Safety On sports turf, turfgrass quality is simply dependent on three characteristics: Traction Hardness Evenness Traction- critical to generating and controlling player speed, making sharp turns, and stopping. Poor traction can lead to muscle pulls and a variety of other injuries. On sports turf, turfgrass quality is simply dependent on three characteristics: Traction Hardness Evenness Hardness- affect player s ability to cut sharply. increase injury from falls and tackles. 5 6

2 On sports turf, turfgrass quality is simply dependent on three characteristics: Traction Hardness Evenness Player Safety Evenness- Influenced by turfgrass density, cover, and uniformity. Turf 0: Turfgrass Science Course Received complaints from Athletic Department on the quality of the football field. Athletic Field Lab:. General Assessment Soil Sampling (Soil Analysis, and Bulk Density Soil Compaction Readings Soil Moisture Readings. Dynamics between Athletic Department and Facilities. Pilot Study: Football Field Assessment A pilot field study was conducted on the University of Minnesota Crookston football field by undergraduates prior to each home game to assess field conditions (06). There were six total home games during the season from September through October ( games in September & games in October). Soil compaction and soil moisture was measured prior to each home game to determine the agronomic field conditions of the turf and underlying soil Data Collection: Football Field *6 readings per plot taken diagonally across plot ( rows, 0 plots per row=0 total plots) Soil water content VWC% West Center East Game Field Soil compaction psi 0 yards 0 0 Soil compaction was measured using a FieldScout SC 00 soil compaction meter (Spectrum Technologies) Methodology Volumetric water content percentage was measured using a FieldScout TDR 00 (Spectrum Technologies) (Photo below). Methodology Table. Interpretation of soil compaction measurements. Figure. Water holding capacity by soil type in volumetric water content (%).

3 Figure. Water holding capacity by soil type in volumetric water content (%). % VWC =Wilting Point -0 % VWC = Field Capacity Soil compaction readings greater than 00 psi were measured on 50% of the field (moderate compaction) before the first home game. % VWC = Saturation Figure. Prior to the first home game of the season, compaction readings indicated that 50% of the field ( 00 psi) had moderate compaction. By the second home game, soil compaction readings greater than 00 psi were measured on % of the field. By the third home game, soil compaction readings greater than 00 psi were measured on 0% of the field psi Figure. Prior to the second home game, compaction readings indicated that % of the field ( 00 psi) had severe compaction. Figure 5. Prior to the third home game, compaction readings indicated that 0% of the field ( 00 psi) had moderate compaction. 5 6 By the fourth home game, soil compaction readings greater than 00 psi were measured on 0% of the field. The recommendation to aerify the field was made to the grounds crew and by the fifth home game of the season soil compaction readings greater than 00 psi were less than 0% psi Figure 6. Prior to the fourth home game, compaction readings indicated that 0% of the field ( 00 psi) had severe compaction. Figure. Prior to the fifth home game of the season, compaction readings indicated that less than 0% of the field ( 00 psi) had little to no compaction.

4 By the sixth and last home game soil compaction readings greater than 00 psi had increased again to 50% ( week later). Figure. Prior to the sixth home game of the season, compaction readings indicated that 5% of the field ( 00 psi) had moderate compaction. 0 Field capacity (moisture content when downward water movement has ceased) for a silty clay loam is -0% volumetric water content. Soil moisture readings indicated that 0-0% of the field was saturated due to significant rainfall and over irrigation. Figures -0. Prior to the first and third home game of the season (no data for second home game), soil moisture readings indicated that 0-0% of the field was saturated ( 0% VWC) Yards %VWC Yards %VWC Figures -. Prior to the fifth and sixth home game of the season, soil moisture readings indicated that 0-00% of the field was saturated ( 0% VWC) Recommendations Soil moisture readings indicated that 0-00% of the field was saturated due to significant rainfall and over irrigation (exception prior to fourth home game VWC was 0%) Yards %VWC Yards %VWC Aerate field every two weeks to reduce compaction on the football field. Decrease irrigation based on soil moisture content readings and precipitation. Run uniformity test on irrigation system Yards %VWC Pre-Game Agronomic Field Safety Assessment for Sports Fields Aim of Research-Purpose Determine whether agronomic improvements made to the field indeed reduce player injury. Athlete Injury Data from home games. Determine if coaches, players, and grounds staff found the pre-game assessment beneficial. Survey

5 Pre-Game Agronomic Field Safety Assessment for Sports Fields Aim of Research-Purpose Develop an agronomic pre-game field safety assessment. Includes: Soil Compaction psi Soil Moisture % VWC Canopy greenness NDVI Turf Firmness inches Football and Soccer field Data Collection: Football Field *6 readings per plot taken diagonally across plot ( rows, 0 plots per row=0 total plots) Soil Compaction psi Soil Moisture % VWC Canopy greenness NDVI Turf Firmness inches yards West Center East Game Field 5 6 South Center North Game & Practice Field plots plus Goalie Boxes *Renovated field Soccer Field: Field Size: Width 5 yards Length 0 yards Data Collection: Soil Compaction psi Soil Moisture % VWC Canopy greenness NDVI Turf Firmness inches 6 data measurements per plot 5 yds 5 yds NDVI FieldScout CM 000 Chlorophyll meter (Spectrum Technologies): Used to determine turfgrass color, quality, and overall health. Methodology A FieldScout TruFirm Turf Firmness Meter (Spectrum Technologies) The mass of the impact hammer is dropped from a consistent height and the maximum turf penetration value is recorded and correlated to the surface hardness, the lower the penetration value, the firmer the turf. Methodology Soil compaction was measured using a FieldScout SC 00 soil compaction meter (Spectrum Technologies) Methodology Table. Interpretation of soil compaction measurements. 0 5

6 Methodology Volumetric water content percentage was measured using a FieldScout TDR 00 (Spectrum Technologies) (Photo below). Figure. Water holding capacity by soil type in volumetric water content (%). SOCCER FIELD DATA South South 5 6 Center Center 5 6 North North psi Figure 5. Prior to the first home game, compaction readings indicated that only % of the field ( 00 psi) had little to no compaction. %VWC Figure 6. Prior to the first home game, soil moisture readings indicated that 6% of the field was saturated ( 0 % VWC). South South Center Center North 56 6 North psi < Figure. Prior to the second (shown), third, and fourth home game, compaction readings indicated the field ( 00 psi) had little to no compaction. %VWC Figure. Prior to the second (shown), third, fourth, and fifth home game, soil moisture readings indicated that 00% of the field was saturated ( 0 % VWC)

7 South South Center Center North North Inches Figure. Prior to the third home game, turf firmness readings indicated that 0% of the field was firm (<0. inches). psi Figure 0. Prior to the fifth home game, compaction readings are increasing ( 00 psi severe compaction). Compaction readings for both goals >00 psi indicating severe compaction. : Turf Firmness South Game Game Game Game Game AVG inches Center North South Center North East Goal West Goal Inches Figure. Prior to the fifth home game, turf firmness readings indicated that 5% of the field was firm (<0. inches). 0 : Turfgrass Color & Health Game Game Game Game Game AVG NDVI South Center..... North East Goal West Goal Soccer Injury Data Injury Game Game Game Game Game 5 Concussion Shin Splints Stress Fracture Ankle Sprain

8 psi FOOTBALL FIELD DATA Figure. Prior to the first home game of the season, compaction readings indicated that % of the field ( 00 psi) had severe compaction. Turf firmness values are firm (0.-0. inches) Game Game Game Game Game % VWC Football Field Field is saturated ( 0 % VWC) for all home games in 0. Drainage needs to be addressed. Figure. Prior to the fourth home game of the season, compaction readings indicated that 0% of the field ( 00 psi) had severe compaction. 5 6 : Turf Firmness Game Game Game Game Game AVG inches West NA Center NA East NA : Turfgrass Color & Health Game Game Game Game Game AVG NDVI West Center East % of field is severely compacted

9 Football Injury Data Injury Game Game Game Game Game 5 Concussion Broken Wrist Knee Injury Shoulder Injury Lateral Ankle Sprain Muscle Strains 0 50 Table. Soil Compaction, Soil Moisture, Surface Firmness, and Turfgrass Color for the Football field before each home game in 0. Field Assessment Game Game Game Game Game 5 Soil Compaction 0% 0% ND 0% ND Soil Moisture Surface Firmness ND Turfgrass Color 00% 00% ND 00% ND (0% Firm) ND.. ND. ND Yards Inches Figure. Prior to the fourth home game, turf firmness readings indicated that 0% (<0. inches) of the field was firm (60% of center field and 50% of west sideline was firm). 5 5 Prior to Game -snow cover Football Injury Data *No agronomic data due to weather. Injury Type Game Game Game * Game Game 5 Concussion Shin Splints Stress Fracture Ankle Sprain Ankle Bone Bruise Shoulder Sprain 5 5

10 Table. Soil Compaction, Soil Moisture, Surface Firmness, and Turfgrass Color for the Soccer field before each home game in 0. Field Game & Game & Game 5 & 6 Game Assessment Soil Compaction 0% 0% ND 0% Soil Moisture 00% 00% ND 00% Surface Firmness ND Turfgrass Color.. ND.66 Prior to Game -snow cover Prior to Game -snow cover Soccer Injury Data *No agronomic data due to weather. Injury Type Game & Game & Game 5 & 6* Game Concussion Shin Splints Stress Fracture Lateral Ankle Sprain Groin Knee Sprain 5 5 athletes ( Soccer & 5 Football) trainers coaches Survey Athlete perceptions of the fields: poor average good Did they notice a difference in playing conditions between 0 & 0 No Yes had no basis for comparison Survey Suggestions for field improvement by coaches and athletes: Improve drainage Lower the mowing height Clear fields more quickly after a snow Install a heating system under the field Level the field; re-crown field; resurface field Decrease irrigation before practices Improve turfgrass coverage No high school football games Practice field for soccer

11 Being able to quantify the relationship between the agronomic and risk assessments will lead to strategies intended to improve turfgrass field conditions. Identifying and implementing these strategies will be beneficial to facility managers by reducing the risk of player injuries. Implications 6 6 Recommendations Aerify at least every weeks during the season. Vary tine depth to prevent hard pans from developing when using solid tines. Use technology/gadgets for early detection of problem areas. What I didn t expect.. Using data for department agendas Artificial turf Renovation needed to improve drainage on multiple fields. Importance 5 students 0 athletes coaches trainers Departments (Athletics & Facilities) Programs (Turf & SRM) All aware of player safety-goals met 6 6 Baseball Field Field Assessment Soil Compaction (psi) Soil Moisture (% VWC) Surface Firmness (inches) Turfgrass Color (NDVI) Baseball Field Infield Left Field Center Field Right Field

12 Academic Affairs Funded students Thanks to. Questions? 6 6